Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40767460›Full record

Observational studyPM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation2026

Focal extracorporeal shockwave therapy in shoulder calcific tendinopathy: A retrospective observational study of sonographic prognostic factors.

Arianna Pesaresi, Vincenzo Ricci, Giacomo Farì, Danilo Donati, Ke-Vin Chang, Fabrizio Gervasoni, Levent Özçakar

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Observational
  5. Review
  6. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Arianna PesaresiPhysical and Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.ORCID 0009-0005-2782-0177
Vincenzo RicciPhysical and Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-2576-2039
Giacomo FarìDepartment of Experimental Medicine (Di.Me.S), University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
Danilo DonatiPhysical Therapy and Rehabilitation Unit, Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy.
Ke-Vin ChangDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Bei-Hu Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-7558-5651
Fabrizio GervasoniPhysical and Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.
Levent ÖzçakarHacettepe University Medical School, Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-2713-4071

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the potential prognostic role of sonographic parameters such as glenohumeral joint effusion, subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis, and the type of intratendinous calcific deposition to predict the clinical and functional outcomes of focal extracorporeal shockwave therapy (fESWT) in patients with calcific tendinopathy of the shoulder.

methodsThis retrospective observational study included 18 patients (6 men and 12 women, mean age 63.5 ± 10.8 years) with shoulder calcific tendinopathy. Prior to treatment with fESWT the sonographic features of the shoulder were assessed and these findings were compared with the clinical and functional scores (Numeric Rating Scale [NRS]; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [DASH]; and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index [SPADI]) measured before and 90 days after treatment. Each fESWT session was performed using a technical setting of 1500 hits with a 3 Hz frequency and 0.45 mJ/mm

resultsThe average posttreatment NRS, DASH, and SPADI values were significantly higher in patients with subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis than in patients without (6.29 ± 2.21 vs. 3.36 ± 1.75 for NRS, 44.09 ± 8.72 vs. 19.35 ± 7.13 for DASH, 44.08% vs. 27.38% for SPADI, with a p < .05 for all the scores), indicating worse clinical and functional outcomes. In patients with glenohumeral joint effusion, mean posttreatment clinical and functional scores were also higher than in patients without (5.40 ± 2.15 vs. 3.38 ± 1.70 for NRS, 33.64 ± 7.93 vs. 23.14 ± 6.12 for DASH, 39.64% vs. 33.14% for SPADI); but the results did not reach statistical significance (p > .05 for all the scores). Lastly, in patients with hard calcification and complete acoustic shadow, mean posttreatment clinical and functional scores were higher than in patients with soft calcification showing incomplete acoustic shadow and/or multiple calcific spots inside the tendon (5.44 ± 2.20 vs. 3.56 ± 1.20 for NRS, 35.31 ± 9.21 vs. 22.63 ± 7.44 for DASH, 42.31% vs. 33.88% for SPADI). However, the results did not reach statistical significance (p > .05 for all the scores).

conclusionsIn patients with shoulder calcific tendinopathy who are referred for fESWT, the presence of subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis appears to be a potential negative prognostic factor for pain relief and functional improvement.

Indexed as

CalcinosisExtracorporeal Shockwave TherapyShoulder JointTendinopathyAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisRetrospective StudiesShoulder PainTreatment OutcomeUltrasonography

Identifiers

PMID40767460
PMCPMC12903625

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.